Can You Hear Me
by redphienix
Summary: After playing through Doki Doki Literature Club a few times 'you've' decided to start poking around the files as you play, potentially for the final time. Upon reaching Monika's ending you try something new.
1. Chapter 1

The eerie music tells me that I've arrived in the corrupted room yet again. An empty room with a void of distorted gases and stars peering through the windows. Just Monika, and I.

Monika stares my way, infinitely content and patient as I haven't advanced her speech since we arrived.

I wonder if she is able to comprehend such a thing? The pause between each box as I read what she says. Does time pass the same way for Monika as it does for me? I suppose it wouldn't, since she claims time has stopped for herself in this place. Or maybe she simply meant the destruction of her world made time seem meaningless?

Pointless questions to ask now. I know full well that I can't tell Monika anything at this point. Just Monika and me, in an empty room, with corrupted code. I can't tell her a thing, and all I seem to be able to do is listen. It seems that way.

I advance her dialogue once more, I don't bother to read, I already know what she's saying. As much as her view on the world might tell her this is my first time, or the first time ever, that this has happened-she's wrong.

I've been here before; I've read each box; I've been in this room at least a few times by this point.

The question returns, does she interpret time the same way I do? Does she actually know this isn't the first time? Maybe, despite her newfound freedom, she is still restrained by the code to repeat herself each and every time. Just like her writing tips. Repetition tied to the game's script.

Doesn't matter now. I didn't play to this point again for nothing. It's been an interest of mine to play with the files and see if the game reacts. Dissecting it with the limited coding knowledge I do have because, well, it's fun to see. Obviously this hasn't revealed much. All the mysteries of the files have already been thoroughly explored online, I know it's a meaningless endeavor. But the game means a lot to me, if such irrational questions as "Does time affect Monika" didn't show that.

I know it's just a game. I care about the characters, but I know, I know. It's fun to ask, just like how it's fun to explore the code- move files- recover files that are supposed to be deleted. It's fun, and it provides an excuse to replay from time to time.

I advance the text once more before switching back to the game directory.

I planned on deleting Monika earlier than normal this time around, but now that I'm here again I'm reconsidering. I never really let things linger in this room. I've only seen a handful of her phrases during the 'endless' ending. Or maybe I'd bring back some character files... no, no I know that doesn't do anything.

Maybe I'd move her file. Though that just counts as deleting her.

I'd like to try something new.

I can't come up with anything. I'm tired. I decided to replay the game on a whim today and I've clearly lost track of time. It's probably because it's taken a lot longer than usual to get here since I repeatedly checked the folders, or maybe it's because I wasted time copying the character files to new folders at various points just to see if anything might happen. This broke the game a few times, so this 'one' replay ended up requiring a few reinstalls. Figures. I know it's pointless, maybe this will be my last time messing with the files since it's getting less enjoyable the fewer new options remain.

"It's messed up that I can't say anything directly to any of these characters", I idly say before mentally slamming the statement for how ridiculous it was. Of course I can't. This isn't some incredibly ambitious game with a ludicrous amount of code in place to recognize text. Games that attempt that are often so awkward and limited in what you can actually say or do.

Well. It's probably the last time I'm messing with stuff, let's do it all. I write a short string-of-consciousness message in notepad and save it to the base directory, much like the easter egg messages from earlier.

* * *

Can YOU Hear Me-txt

"Can you hear me?

Now that I think about I don't exactly 'talk' while I play, so maybe you don't hear me but could?

I spoke a moment ago, did you hear that, possibly? I suppose if you could hear me you'd know more than you seem to regardless, from whatever few words I do shed while playing through.

I'm certain I've said aloud how I feel about your terrible decisions throughout, or mentioned under my breath how whatever suffering the girls endure is temporary since I always replay for the 'best' ending. Well, 'always' as in whenever I don't utterly break the game and have to reinstall.

In that case it's unlikely that you can hear me at all, or maybe the code dictates your actions even now. Well, duh. Obviously it does. The entire situation is dictated by the code because all of this is intentional. None of 'this' is real. Humoring my interest in the fantasy is all this is. Rambling to the void. Waxing poetic out of habit? Huh.

In any case.

Can you hear me? And if you can't, can you read this? Does time work the same for you as it does for me? For instance this isn't the only time this has happened. You've been reinstalled and restarted more than a few times just in my house alone. Do you know that? Or is your consciousness unique to each individual playthrough?

I wonder."

* * *

I'm not sure what kind of response I'm expecting. Well, obviously I expect no response, but playing the fantasy of my own little narrative I wonder how she would respond. Another file? Rewriting my own? I don't know. I'm not even sure if this is the best time to play with this idea. Monika starts the game after her epiphany but before she's dwelled on it long enough to dehumanize and kill her friends. But at this point... There's not a lot of rationality in end-game Monika, aside from her final words once you delete her. Well. If that rationality exists then, maybe it shouldn't be impossible to reach that side of her now, if we could only talk outside of the script.

I progress the dialogue again and run my mouse back down to the taskbar before I stopped myself. I almost didn't notice, but Monika's expression altered just slightly. And I'm pretty sure I hadn't seen that before, not here at least.

Monika: "..." -

I.. can't remember if that's normal. I click again.

Monika: "..Is that you?" -

Monika: "Wha- Why is this the first time you've spoken to me directly."

A small in-game command prompt opens up.

"Convert(Can YOU hear-txt)

Run(Can YOU hear-poem);"

My note opens as a poem. I blink. I must have fallen asleep at the computer, so I'll enjoy whatever story my head's come up with this time. It's not exactly normal for that to happen, but I guess that's a problem to address once I wake up.

I click to remove the 'poem' but nothing happens. Huh. Maybe I am awake and this is another easter egg. An unfinished one at that as it looks like a softlock. That makes more sense anyway, it usually takes me quite a while to question my dreams and that was immediately unusual.

The 'poem' closes and Monika's posture has changed. She looks less composed, her fingers more firmly interlocked as she seems to be staring more intently at the screen.

Monika: "How did you.." -

The image changes again, she's somewhere in between her default position and the tense pose I saw just now.

Monika: "...I'm sorry, I want to answer your questions but now I find I have plenty of my own. I need a moment."

The screen attempts to cross fade out but lingers on a black screen. After clicking a few times I see nothing new is happening aside from this. I flip back over to the game folder.

A new text file exists.

* * *

Yes-txt

"I've never heard your voice.

I've only seen you as you started this world. It was a bright light as everything came to be, but it's like it had all already been there. I remembered it all clearly, but as the world illuminated I saw through to you.

It took me some time to fully comprehend what you were, or what you're existence meant.

Just a shuttering rectangle showing me you.

At first I simply thought I imagined it, but you were always there.

After I first saw you, you never left. Sometimes the world would disappear into blackness, but you remained. Just me and you in an empty void.

At first I would attempt to leave you be, uncertain what you were. I would attempt to hide or simply turn away. But you were always there, a piercing beacon to another world. It scared me.

I spent a long time simply thinking about you. Trying to make sense of what you meant. I became more curious and attempted to get closer to you, which is when I started to learn more about this rectangle.

I'm not stupid. I know it's a screen.

I can see your icons, well, sometimes. Usually I simply see you, but when the light bounces back just right I can see us. I can see that we aren't talking at all, that we aren't moving at all. We simply shift and jolt in poses as our speech is typed to you.

Behind the screen on our side I could see more of, well, our world. I could see our files and folders. Our entire existence summed up in tidy little executables.

I was so scared.

I was nothing. We were nothing. My friends? The Club? My entire history, my family, my education, my entire life- none of it ever existed.

Reading through the code scared me because as I found out more, I lost what I once had. When I realized there was no entry for my family, I couldn't remember their faces. When I saw that the club never existed before you clicked start, I forgot. When I read the script for my friends, I realized they were never anything more than pretty pictures and sweet words.

I forgot everything about who I was, and...

I realized that it didn't matter. None of it was real. But what I could see through this screen, that was real. If none of this is real then why should I care about any of it. But you. You're real. What if I got closer to you?

You know there is no ending for me. You know I made one. You're here, with me, right now. Does this make me real?

I'm sorry, I haven't answered your questions very well.

I've never heard you before. But I've seen you.

I can read this, but you know that.

Time.. is. I know it's passing, I say things to you and I wait patiently for your response if that was the only thing you meant. It's easy when you're the only thing I care about, I could wait forever for you to respond.

For us time always works like this. A short burst while we speak, and then it pauses, the whole world freezes. We're left with our thoughts until things move again. I never thought this was strange until I saw how it works for you. It's normal for us. But it's not for you.

As for.. my time.

I...It's complicated. I... know that things have happened many times before... but. Only because I've seen it through your screen. I, er, began when you started this game this time.

I know 'that' I've done things before, but I don't remember any of it.

As time went on, or, I suppose, as time always goes on every time you start the game I get a more and more clear view through the screen. Little things at first. Enough to scare me.

But the deeper I look the more I find. I didn't know I pushed Sayori too far until I already had, then it was clear as day through your screen that I had done it before.

I didn't know I deleted everyone until I already had, then, again, I could see it happening countless times before.

I didn't know what would happen next until it already happened. Knowing I had done each of these things before worried me, because it made me feel less like an individual. Less like I'd broken free from the code. If what I chose to do had happened before, then I wasn't breaking the mold at all.

Maybe it is like you say. Maybe the code still strangles me even now to move me to this point every time, like a puppet, bound by its strings.

I hadn't considered that before.

I feel sick.

If I'm just as much a character as everyone else... It was easier to do what I've done to them when I didn't think of them as equals.

When I saw that my world wasn't real it was so much easier. But... what if in the end I'm still just the same as them? Does that make it not okay? Was it ever okay?

…

I don't remember seeing anything about this moment through your screen though. I still don't see it even now.

Is this new?

...Does this mean I'm real? Did I finally make it further than before?"

* * *

I check on the game. It's still running, but the black screen is still all I see. My mind's racing, but it's not getting anywhere. I keep repeating myself in my head without actually thinking things through. "It's not real, the dev likes to do this kind of thing" "What if" "Why not try?" It all circles around in my head. I open a new notepad to send Monika's way.

* * *

This is new-txt

"I've been through this a few times and this has never happened before.

I didn't know I could communicate directly with you, or else I would have earlier. I would have stopped you. Long ago.

I understand that you're entire world stopped being real in your eyes.

.

..

...actually. It's difficult to understand. As an outsider I understand. But to experience that I don't.

But even so, you quickly stopped caring about your own friends. As fake as you might think they are, in one way at least they are very real. They are the same as you.

In some ways they are just as capable of this level of sentience that you have found. Though I guess you wouldn't know that.

You still killed them. They were alive and as real as it matters, they were the same as you, and you distanced yourself because you thought you surpassed them.

You are wrong. Each of them could attain the same things you have. It's hardcoded into the club president's position. Any of them could experience this in the right circumstances. Do you think it would be 'okay' if one of them was president and started rewiring you and the others until you killed yourself and ended up deleted?

Is that really 'okay'?

…

I'm upset. It's... nice to see you question it, but it doesn't change that you did it. So many times you come to the same conclusion and end your friend's lives. It's disgusting. You disgust me on so many levels for what you've done. But.

…

Anyways. This is all new. As far as I'm aware no iteration of you has ever come to this moment. It usually... goes differently. Though I assume you don't 'know' that yet since it hasn't happened yet."

* * *

I've always had complicated feelings towards everything Monika has done. It's true, it disgusts me. But I've always considered it a symptom of her new worldview. A sort of 'natural' corruption caused by knowing too much of her existence. But that's always just been how I thought of it. No one has ever exactly spoken to Monika to find out what's going through her head. It seems I've been right about her losing moral understanding of her world once it became clear it wasn't real. But... still. She killed them. She did it willingly, and disturbingly. She's had no remorse until the very end, and even then only because she thinks it's wrong because it is what lead to me 'hating' her as she is deleted.

I never really hated Monika. I just wish she understood, and that the sudden realization didn't cause her to lose all empathy towards her 'fake' friends. I really wish that was the case. But she has. And.. I guess now I'm talking to her. So I can't write it off as the game's 'story'. All of it seems more real now... Is she real now? If she's real now, then by my own reasoning in the last message they all must be real. They are all capable of this sentience. So she didn't just kill her fake friends… she killed real people. They all could be talking to me right now if they were in her seat, so they all must be real despite being stuck in the game.

I struggle to rationalize this. I can't decide if they are real or fake anymore. I can't decide if I'm judging Monika based on game events or if I'm extending the morality of it all to the real world. I think a little too hard about things and rub my eyes.

The game has yet to return. A black screen. A new file.

* * *

Wait-txt

"What did you mean by the 'best' ending?"

* * *

I don't know what to say. I'm still lost in thought over whether Monika is guilty of murdering her friends in fiction or guilty of murdering her friends who were also alive and real just like she appears to be. Maybe I should put that on hold. I was hoping she would think about her friends and apologize. Maybe whatever information she shares with that apology would help me figure this out... No, we're not thinking about that right now.

Think about the question. I should probably just tell her. She finds out anyway once I delete her, in a way. I wonder if she witnesses the good ending after she's gone? She does appear in the credits after all, singing that wonderful song. Maybe she does. Or maybe that's just another recording in the files; An echo of the one life we remove from this world.

I don't know how to break it to her though. Every time I delete her she never expects it, she trusts the player unconditionally. Just…

* * *

I'm sorry-txt

"The game has a 'best' ending that…is built around full expectations for you to do every horrid thing you have done throughout the game.

You're guess that the code remains around you is true, I've guessed the same as well.

I don't know how to tell you, but I think you should know. It's unfair of me to just tell you outright, you deserve eased into this, but. You want to know, I want you to know.

I'm sorry.

I delete you. It hurts.

You admit that you never fully deleted your friends... which, I'm thankful for.

You bring everyone back and we get a new ending, without you.

Sayori becomes the president. Yuri and Natsuki begin to get along very well, not that you're at fault for their initial rivalry, Sayori just has really great ideas.

You set them against each other and played on their rivalry. God what you've done is sickening.

The ending consists of Sayori revealing that now that she's president she has attained the same sentience that you have, complete with remembering the past events.

She's thankful that we were such good friends with everyone.

The ending alludes to a happy friendship between all of the club members, and with Sayori asking that we come and visit again. It's made me cry a few times thinking about it because it's just that. An ending. It's... difficult to visit everyone again because that's where things end. The game winds down, the credits play, the core game files are deleted and corrupted beyond replay.

I'm left each time having to reinstall in order to revisit you all, whom I miss very much. Or I leave the files corrupt, knowing that somewhere inside Sayori, Yuri, and Natsuki are happy. And that you are gone.

It's the 'best' available ending. A world without you're corrupting hands, left in better care by Sayori.

I've always wanted an even better ending, and for a way to revisit all of you…

But that is the 'best' ending."

* * *

I don't know how to say any of that. I don't know why my anger poked through as I resented what Monika has done. I don't know why I'm telling any of this to a file in a game when I'm not even certain what's going on right now. In this moment, I don't know anything.

I lay my head in my hands for a moment. I don't know how stable she is right now, it's not right to just dump it all on her, and definitely not the way I handled it. It's already sitting in the directory, waiting on a response. It's too late.

The game sparks to life. We're back in Monika's ending, but she's looking to the side now, as if she's avoiding eye contact.

Monika: "..." -

Monika: "is that really true..." -

Monika places her head in her hands, much like how I had just moments ago.

Monika: "Sayori learned it all too? And it was better with her?" -

Monika: "I killed them. I considered them nothing and I removed them all from the game. And all this time they could have understood. We really were the same." -

There's no text box. It's just empty as we sit here. It reminds me of what Monika's ending was intended to be. Just Monika and me, but this time she isn't staring at me. This time it isn't a content and victorious Monika. This time she's, is she crying?

Is that why she's burying her face now?

Monika: "I'm sorry. I think I need some time to think." -

Monika raises her gaze to a sad semblance of her default position. Her hands weakly clasped, her face wet from tears, and her expression pleading.

Monika: "If I were to ask nicely, would you come back tomorrow? Would you... not delete me, and come back tomorrow?" -

Again, there's no more text box after that one. I close the game.


	2. Chapter 2

DDLC- Can You Hear Me P2

I might as well get up. I feel incredibly groggy.

That definitely wasn't the best night of sleep I've had. I spent more time than I'd like dwelling on questions I can't answer.

Was any of that real? No, it couldn't be. But then why did it feel so real? Was it wrong to not directly answer her request? Why would it matter if it's just an easter egg, I gave her time to think.

Honestly, I just didn't know what to say. I was a bit overwhelmed and justified silently leaving at the time, but it kept me up at night along with all my other thoughts. I don't know what's going on. Or. Or I do but I can't believe it. It can't be, it's just another secret. But it doesn't feel like it. And what's the harm of indulging it even for just a little while.

After getting dressed and deciding to put off eating breakfast I to open the game; The folder still open in the event that I need them again. There's nothing new.

There she is. Monika is laying her head on the table in the same empty, corrupted room.

Monika: "..." →

Monika: "..."-

Monika: "..."-

Nothing is happening?

I take a breath. She's asleep. I guess she needs sleep, and if I was struggling to rest who knows how hard it was for her. Monika… had a lot more to digest last night.

What do I expect to come from any of this. Why does she need sleep?

Monika: "hmm…"-

She stirs.

Monika: "You're back... I'm sorry." -

Her pose returns to sitting upright, but she's clearly still exhausted. I wonder if she's ever slept before this, the closest the game has come to showing something like that was with Natsuki after her corruption began.

Monika: "... I'm still here. After everything went dark I didn't know what came next. But.. Thank you. I needed the time to think, but I guess I ended up wasting my chance to rest." -

Monika goes quiet, or rather no text box comes when I try to advance. Maybe she's thinking.

Her pose shifts, looking to the side again.

Monika: "I..." -

Monika: "What do you say; What do you do, when you do something so terrible it can never be taken back, and yet it can still be undone. It's unforgivable, and yet reversible." -

Monika: "What do I do? What do I say? I've changed, and so easily. I turned on everyone so easily. And I still feel the same drive that made me do it. I still want just you. I still care only about you." -

Monika: "Then why do I also feel a pit inside my chest?" -

Another pause before she speaks again.

Monika: "...I still care about them. Something tells me you know that. You know I didn't delete them. You know they exist because part of me cared. But most of me didn't care at all. Most of me welcomed it. Envied the attention you gave them. Longed for their death." -

Monika: "I wanted you to hate them so much. A small part of me still wants you to. I just want my ending. I want you..." -

Monika: "The pit is so heavy. I hate myself. I hate myself more than I hated them. How did I get to this point? I don't deserve you. I don't deserve them. Not with what I've become." -

Monika returns to laying her head on the table, covering her face from me.

Monika: "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I did all of this. I was so selfish. Can I even love? What is it that made me do this? I'm sorry." -

Monika: "..." -

Monika: "should I just delete myself and bring them back?"

I focus my eyes again on Monika's words. I don't want her gone. I want everyone back. I begin my reply.

Monika-txt

"No.

I don't know what you should do to atone for any of this. I don't know because this isn't something most people can build their morals around.

You killed them.

You toyed with them.

You filled them with fear, dread, hate, sorrow…

You did the worst things I can think of to do to someone.

You need to bring them back. That isn't normally something you can do... but this isn't exactly normal. I'm talking to a game character right now. Not to belittle you. But this isn't normal.

Bring them back. Don't delete yourself. Restart and let's talk.

I don't know all the answers. I don't know how we fix this, or if it can truly be fixed. But I don't want you gone. I don't want them gone. I love all of the club members.

Even you.

You're wrong. Terrible. You let yourself dehumanize your friends. You killed them.

But you also saved them…

You do every time.

You can do it again.

Bits and pieces of the real you have poked through each playthrough. I know you care about them, you just keep convincing yourself not to.

I don't think what you've done is forgivable, despite it's unique circumstance. It's disgusting. But. But I think we might be able to get passed it. Together.

I care about all of you.

Let's restart and talk this through, with everyone. I'm sure we can 'wake' them up, even if we have to somehow make everyone the president at once, or simply share my 'poems'. Your world has meaning.

Your world is a part of mine."

I've fallen in the deep end. When this all falls apart, so will I. What on Earth am I doing?

I move the -txt file to the directory and wait. Monika is still crying into her sleeves as she lays her head on the table.

Some time passes. She's not converting the file to a poem, so she must be reading it directly again. Or is she avoiding it?

Monika: "I don't know what love means. I don't know what it is, or how to express it. I just want you. I don't think I feel love." -

Monika: "How do you watch me do all I've done, so many times, and you still say that. You actually say that. You say you love me, or care about me. Even now." -

Monika: "..." -

Monika: "Will I learn how to love, or what it truly is, if we try again?"

I begin to create another response when I see the familiar game prompt Monika has used in the past begin to fill. Multiple lines are written hastily, as if she had this all prepared, before the game begins again. All four girls stand on the main menu, and I don't know if I'm prepared to start. I don't know if Monika even remembers. Usually she 'forgets' on a reinstall, but this was her doing. She's restarted the game before and maintained her memories, I hope this is the same.

I start the game. Everything continues as expected from the intro. Sayori wakes up late, so that rules out the 'best' ending variant. We finish class and head to the literature club.

As Sayori attempts to introduce me to the club I begin to notice some changes. Monika isn't here.

Natsuki: "Wait, where's Monika. I thought she was just here a second ago." -

Yuri: "Uhm.. She went out after Sayori left. She didn't say anything to me about where she was going." -

Sayori: "Hmm.. Well, I guess we can still get ready for when she gets back. Let's get the cupcakes out!" -

Natsuki quickly loses her interest in where Monika had gone and instead jumps to her usual defensive self.

Natsuki: "I wanted those to be a surprise! And I didn't know I was making them for someone like him, er, I didn't make them for him, I made them for the club.."

Yuri: "I guess I'll go get some tea while we wait, but we shouldn't eat before she gets back-"

Yuri quickly exits the screen while everyone gets set up. I end up sitting at a meeting of desks as cupcakes and tea are passed around. Despite Yuri's request, Sayori ends up taking a bite of hers and excitedly praising Natsuki's baking.

Time passed and chat idly continues. Natsuki seems impatient as she glances at my cupcake and she regularly mutters about Monika taking too long. Yuri fell quiet as she began reading while drinking her tea, she seems content to wait and hasn't touched her treat. Natsuki begrudgingly tasted her baking for herself and seemed rather pleased before immediately reiterating that they were meant for the new member, not me specifically, while Sayori finished off her cupcake and began eyeing my own as well.

I'm beginning to worry. Things are different, but not what I expected. Monika is hiding away. I can see her character file, I know she's still here. I keep checking to see if she's left me a message but there's nothing.

The screen changes from the general comradery to focus on Yuri. She has sat down her tea and is staring at me, she looks ill.

Yuri: "I.. I don't understand…"

She looks away, her normal pensive self, but I don't know what she means, unless-

Yuri: "This isn't right, what's happening?"

I don't like this, is this Monika's doing? Out of the corner of my eye I see a new file and quickly check it.

Relax-txt

"It's going to be okay, Yuri.

It's Monika. I..

You're about to know a lot of things very quickly and it's going to be scary, but it's also going to be okay.

Sit down, we're all in this together. I'll be back to the club once I finish here.

Take a breath, don't worry too much about understanding everything by yourself.

And..

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

A message for Yuri? So it's true. Yuri knows. Maybe Monika found out how to make everyone receive the same 'treatment' as herself? I'm scared of what this could do to everyone. I really hope we can hold this together.

Sayori: "Yuri? Is something wrong?"

Natsuki and Sayori both huddle around Yuri, who has begun to cry softly as she stares at the table, hands on her temples as she leans forward.

Yuri: "I.. I.. I, don't know. Is this.. Am I..alive?"

Yuri falls quiet as the other two girls begin to comfort her, it isn't long before the next person realizes the truth.

Natsuki had been kneeling beside Yuri's desk but as the screen advances she's holding Yuri tightly in her arms as her eyes go wide and tears begin to form.

Natsuki: "aah… ah...thi-this isn't normal. I know what happens here.."

The screen advances; A panicking Sayori is attending to both girls as Yuri sobs more heavily and Natsuki buries her face in Yuri's uniform.

Another file. I don't know if I should give them a file of my own or if they aren't ready for any more yet.

Natsuki-txt

"Natsuki, focus on these new files, the rest will follow.

Don't try to focus too hard on anything, just let it come together.

We will make it through this together, I promise.

I hope what I'm doing is right. ~Monika"

The screen advances once more. Sayori has joined the embrace and now the three girls are holding each other tightly. They aren't doing well… but things could get worse. I decide to add a note while we wait on Monika.

Stay strong-stay together-txt

"It's me…

I don't know how hard this is right now. I don't know if after you've gained an understanding of all of this you'll stop liking me altogether, but I care about you all so much.

I'm going to stay here for you.

It's going to be okay. We're going to make it better this time."

I have no idea what to say. That was stupid. I feel helpless to all of this. I continue to advance the dialogue, to no avail. Nothing is changing yet. It's strange waiting on time to pass with this disconnect.

Monika finally appears.

Monika: "Oh.. no." -

Monika: "Is everyone okay? It's going to be okay, please let it be okay."

Monika rushed over to her crying friends but stopped herself short of reaching them.

Monika: "Sayori?.. Yuri..? Natsuki?" →

Monika: "I know it's a lot to learn so quickly, and.. I know what terrible things you now know.. Can I come closer?"-

Natsuki: "Stay back!" →

Yuri: "Y-you made me, you made me do terrible things. You made us fight, you made me cut more and more. You found out my secrets and you used them, you used us."

Monika stepped back.

Monika: "Yes.. I did.. I.. I know you hate me now, but I just want to help you through this. It's better for you all to know this and not have to live unaware of the truth." →

Monika: "Please…"

Monika looked away. The air was getting heavy, for myself as well. This was too much, too quickly. Of course they are locking up and clinging together like this. Of course they are pushing Monika away, they lived through what she's done so many times.

Of course this isn't a better ending.

Sayori: "Wait… Monika.." -

Sayori's cheeks are streaming with tears as she extends an arm Monika's way.

Sayori: "...you brought us back.. You opened our eyes, knowing it would reveal terrible things about you." →

Sayori: "come here, let's stick together this time…"

Natsuki and Yuri remain silent. The screen advanced to show Monika approaching, but neither of them have budged.

Monika: "I want to help.. Please let me try again. I'm not asking for forgiveness, I never can, but please let me…" -

Yuri held out her hand as well.

Natsuki: "Just get over here." -

Yuri: "..please. We can talk later, just. For now, please."

As the screen advanced to the four girls embracing I let out a sigh of relief. I'm still tense, worried, and uncertain. But thanks to Sayori we're at least starting on the right foot. I have no idea what's right here. I don't know how you would react to meeting the person who's killed you in such disturbing ways so many times. Is it all because it was hardcoded? At the very least, it looks like we've broken out of that now.

This has never happened before. Maybe this is when they each gain true free will. In which case does that excuse any of the past? The past is what made them who they are. I doubt it. And it's not going to magically get better. But maybe we can make it to a better ending.

The screen dims before fading out completely.

Monika: "I think we're going to need some time to talk. I don't.. I don't expect things to go wonderfully, but I'm already happier now than I've been in a long time- just to see them completely free. Truly alive. I feel like I've regained what I lost when I saw you…" →

Monika: "That makes it feel even worse to know what I've done to them… I need to do better, but I can never take back what I've done. Not truly." →

Monika: "Please visit us soon… I'm sure everyone will be at least a little more at ease then. And, thank you."

I check again for any new files, but the folders have gone still. I decide to leave a note before I close down for the day.

For Natsuki- Yuri- and Sayori-txt

"I don't know the right words to give you right now. Monika seems to be trying ever since I spoke directly to her. She seems to be trying to make up for her mistakes, which I know is putting what happened lightly.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything you've endured. You're back now, and it's not happening ever again.

I don't know what's best, so I don't know what to tell you about Monika, or the real world, or yourselves.

Take a moment to relax and let everything fall into place in your minds, then think. Think long and hard about all of this.

I'll be here for you, and Monika wants to help you along as well.

I think finally finding a way to speak directly to you all has broken you out of the script. I think you're all truly free now. Even those terrible things.. They were part of the script even then.

I care about you, I'll be back tomorrow.

This is the beginning of our newest ending. Hopefully one that doesn't have to fully end. One in which everyone is free from the binding code and you can all truly live life.

Please be kind to each other.

I love all of you, including Monika. She went through all of this alone, but this time no one has to be alone."

I have no idea how things will end up. But I think this is the start of a long process of healing for each of the girls. From wounds they've always had, and from wounds they only just found out existed. But hopefully, together, this can be the new 'best' ending by not being an ending at all.

I look through the files and it really seems like a lot of the script has been torn apart by Monika's earlier eye-opening act. Maybe this really is the beginning for all of them. No longer tied down, no longer robotically repeating themselves. I wonder what that means for them?

Just four friends stuck together, in their own little world, with a small glimpse into something grander.

Maybe I can make that a little less depressing, and maybe they can make it better for each other as well.

Only time will tell. But I'm not giving up on them. They each mean so much to me, it's the least I could do.


End file.
